Top-down delayering by low energy, broad-beam, argon ion milling — a solution for microelectronic device process control and failure analyses

We describe a new delayering solution for semiconductor quality control and failure analyses using low-energy, broad-beam argon ion milling. The results show a large, delayered area, suitable for high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) characterization. The technique allows full top-down deprocessing, layer by layer, of three-dimensional vertical NAND (3D V-NAND) flash memory devices. We show that it is possible to stop at each device layer and carry out observation and characterization. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the technique does not introduce any additional damage to the device being investigated.